Dispensing pouch assemblies

ABSTRACT

A dispensing pouch assembly includes a pouch defining an volume and forming a circular opening into the volume, the circular opening having a wall and an inwardly protruding retaining lip thereon with sealing faces on the bottom and top surfaces thereof. A nozzle assembly removably engaged with the pouch includes a nozzle having a port extending from a top to a bottom end. A radial flange extends from the bottom end and includes a peripheral portion engaging the bottom surface of the retaining lip. A gasket encircles the nozzle with a peripheral portion of the lower face thereof engaging the top surface of the retaining lip. A retaining collar engaged with the nozzle urges the gasket and the radial flange, respectively, against the retaining lip sealing faces in a fluid-tight fit, permitting exit of flowable contents in the volume only through the port. Optionally, a cap fits on the nozzle.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to containers for flowable contents, and inparticular to dispensing pouch assemblies having a pouch and a removablenozzle assembly.

BACKGROUND

Storage and dispensing of flowable substances, including food productssuch as baby food, condiments, beverages, etc cosmetic and hygienicproducts, and so forth, presents several challenges, and existingcontainers are not satisfactory for a full range of uses for variousreasons. For example, such products are typically sold in containersthat are unsuited for portability, such as due to size, rigidity and/orfragility of the container, and so forth. Moreover, many of suchcontainers are effective for only a single use and then must bedisposed, such as due to design characteristics that make suchcontainers either difficult to open (such as for refilling), or clean,or both.

Baby food, for example, is a product tor which portable, reusablestorage is often desired, as infants tend to require feeding on theirown schedules. However, baby food is typically sold in glass or rigidplastic containers, which can be difficult to pack, such as in a purseor baby bag, in a manner to ensure that the container doesn't break fromimpact with other objects. Baby food jars additionally require the useof a spoon or other utensil that also needs to be packed. Some portablesolutions include plastic storage bags, which are susceptible to poppingopen or otherwise rupturing, or travel-size containers, which tend to bedifficult to fully clean—either by their configuration, or from beingfabricated from materials that are not suited to withstand, for example,dishwasher conditions—and thus can present sanitary concerns.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of a dispensing pouch assembly, such as consistingof a distensible pouch and a removable nozzle assembly, are disclosedherein. Such a dispensing pouch assembly may facilitate portable storageand dispensing of flowable substances such as baby food, and so forth,and provide a reusable storage.container that is easily-cleaned.

Some example embodiments may include a flexible, distensible pouchhaving a pair of opposed panels defining an interior volume, with thetop edges thereof forming a circular opening defined by a peripheralwall and an inwardly-protruding retaining lip. In such embodiments, anozzle assembly includes a nozzle having a bottom end with a radialflange disposed in the circular opening, the flange including aperipheral upper edge portion engaged with a bottom sealing face of theretaining lip in a fluid tightfit. The nozzle assembly further includesa gasket encircling the nozzle having a lower face engaged with a topsealing face of the retaining lip, also in a fluid-tight fit. Aretaining collar engaged with the nozzle urges the gasket and the radialflange, respectively, against the first and second sealing faces of thegasket.

In such embodiments, the nozzle assembly may be selectively removablefrom the pouch, such as by distending the circular opening to releasethe radial flange. In such embodiments, the nozzle assembly may beadapted to prevent distension of the circular opening while the gasketand radial flange are engaged with the gasket. In such embodiments,removal of the retaining collar permits disengagement or removal of thegasket, thereby permitting distension of the circular opening to releasethe nozzle.

In some embodiments, the circular opening has a wide-mouth diameter,such as sized to receive a standard soup spoon, for example for ease ofaccess to the interior volume, for washing, refilling, removingcontents, etc. In such embodiments, the ratio of the diameter of theport at the top end of the nozzle to the diameter of the circularopening is within range of 1:4 to 1:10, such as approximately 1:6 to1:8.

The concepts, features, methods, and component configurations brieflydescribed above are clarified with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and detailed description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an example embodiment of a dispensing pouchassembly constructed in accordance with the present disclosure,including a nozzle assembly engaged with a pouch.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view in partial cutaway, illustrating variouscomponents of the nozzle assembly, and other interior structure, of thedispensing pouch assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of the dispensing pouchassembly of FIG. 1, showing one manner in which the circular opening ofthe pouch may be distended, such as to facilitate removal of the nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a partial, cross-sectional side view of another exampleembodiment of a nozzle assembly constructed in accordance with thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an oblique view of an example embodiment of a cap suitable foruse with the example nozzle assembly embodiments of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an oblique view of another example embodiment of a capsuitable for use with the example nozzle assembly embodiments of FIG. 1and FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, a non-exclusive, example embodiment of adispensing pouch assembly 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-3 to include a pouch 12and a nozzle assembly 14. Although other configurations are possible andwithin the scope of this disclosure, pouch 12 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shownto be formed of a pair of opposed panels 20 connected at the respectivebottom and opposing side edges 22, 24 thereof to define an interiorvolume (generally indicated at 26). At the top end 30 of the pouch 12, aperipheral wall 32 from which extends an inwardly-protruding retaininglip 34 defines a circular opening 36 into the interior volume. Asdiscussed in greater detail below, retaining lip 34 includes top andbottom surfaces 40, 42 adapted to form sealing faces with the nozzleassembly 14. The pouch 12 is also shown to include opposing shoulders 44disposed to either side of the circular opening 36 that extend to theside edges 24 of the panels 20.

The pouch 12 is constructed of a flexible, distensible material, such assilicone, which may allow the opposed panels 20 to flex away from eachother, such as when accommodating contents placed in the interiorvolume. In this manner, the resilience of the panels 20 may effectivelyenlarge the interior volume only when needed, resulting in a morecompact shape when empty. Optionally, the resilience of the material ormaterials from which the pouch is formed may when the panels 20 aredistended outward, impart a slight to moderate inward pressure oncontents in the interior volume, which may reduce the amount of pressurea user would otherwise need to apply to the exterior of the pouch 12 inorder to dispense contents therein, such as through the circular opening36 or the nozzle assembly 14 positioned in the circular opening.

Nozzle assembly 14 is shown to include a nozzle 50 having a top end 52,a bottom end 54, and an interior port 56 formed therethrough. A radialflange 58 extends outward from the bottom end 54, and has a peripheralupper edge portion 60 shown to engage the bottom surface 42 (and moreparticularly, a first sealing face formed thereby) of the retaining lip34 of the pouch 12. A gasket 70 encircles nozzle 50 and includes a topface 72 and a stepped bottom face 74, an interior portion of which abutsthe radial flange 58 of the nozzle, and a peripheral portion of which,indicated at 76, engages the top surface 40 (and more particularly, asecond sealing face formed thereby) of the retaining lip 34 of the pouch12. In other words, the radial flange of the nozzle 50 and theperipheral portion of the bottom surface of the gasket 70 sandwich theretaining lip 34 of the pouch, forming a fluid-tight seal therewith. Insome embodiments, the stepped cross-section of the gasket 70accommodates the thickness of the ip 34, and/or may facilitate limitedcompression of the lip such as due to opposing forces from the radialflange 58 and/or the peripheral portion 76 of the gasket 70, asexplained in further detail below.

A retaining collar 80 is engaged in an interference fit with the nozzle50, such as by means of an interior threaded surface 82 of the retainingcollar 80 in rotational engagement with a corresponding exteriorthreaded surface 84 of the nozzle 50. So configured, the rotationalinterference fit allows the retaining collar 80 to be selectivelytranslated toward or away from the radial flange 58, and thus may allowboth removal of the retaining collar 80 from the nozzle 50, andtightening against the gasket 70 to bias the gasket downward againstwhile biasing the radial flange 58 upward against the lower surface 42of the retaining lip 34. However, other means of providing aninterference fit are possible, such as a twist-lock, a friction fit, andso forth.

The various components of the nozzle assembly 14 may be fabricated fromany suitable material or materials, such as one or more suitably rigidplastics, harder rubber or elastomeric materials, and so forth. Forexample, the nozzle 50, in prototype embodiments, is generally formedfrom PVC, the gasket 70 from a suitable rubber, etc.

The retaining collar 80 is thus adapted to urge the gasket 70 and radialflange 58, respectively, against the sealing faces of the upper andlower surfaces 40, 42 of lip 34, thereby restricting exit of flowablecontents disposed in the interior volume 26 to the interior port 56 ofnozzle 50.

So configured, the nozzle assembly 14 is selectively removable from thepouch 12, such as by distending the circular opening 36. FIG. 3 shows anexample method of removing the nozzle 50 from the pouch 12. First, theperipheral wall 32 may be pulled away from the radial flange 58, asindicated by arrow A. Distending the circular opening 36 in this mannerallows the radial flange 58 to be moved out of a position in which theperipheral upper edge portion 60 thereof is retained by the retaininglip 34, permitting the nozzle 50 to be removed from the circular opening36, as indicated by arrow B.

As such, with reference to FIG. 2, the nozzle assembly 50 can be seen toprevent distension of the circular opening 36 while the gasket 70 andradial flange 58 (or, more particularly, while the peripheral portion 76of the gasket 70 and the peripheral upper edge portion 60 of the radialflange 58) are engaged with the lip 34 (or, more particularly, with thesealing faces of the upper and lower surfaces 40, 42 of the lip 34),such as due to the friction and/or compression fit achieved thereby. Inother words, in the illustrated configuration, capturing the retaininglip 34 between components of the nozzle assembly 14 prevents removalthereof from the pouch 12, until the retaining tip is releasedtherefrom. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, the engagement ofthe gasket 70 and radial flange 58 may be selectively tightened orotherwise adjusted by means of the retaining collar 80, which alsoprovides an example manner by which the nozzle assembly may bedisassembled, such as to facilitate removal of the nozzle 50 from thepouch 12 as described above. In particular, retaining collar 80 may beunthreaded or otherwise removed from nozzle 50, allowing removal of thegasket 70, and subsequent removal of the nozzle 50 as shown in FIG. 3.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dispensing pouch assembly 10 is shown toinclude a cap 90 removably engaged with the nozzle. The cap may beadapted to achieve a fluid tight fit with the top end 52 of the nozzle50, such as to prevent unintended exit of flowable contents in the pouch12 through the interior port 56 while the cap is engaged.

Cap 90, in FIG. 2, is shown to include an inner wall 92 configured toengage the nozzle 52 in a friction fit. However, this configuration isnot required to embodiments. For example, FIG. 4 shows an alteralternative configuration of a nozzle assembly, indicated as 114 toindicate correspondence with nozzle assembly 14. Following thisconvention, other elements and features of nozzle assembly 114 areindicated by 3-digit reference numbers (such as pouch 112, panel 120) torepresent correspondence with elements and features discussed above withreference to FIGS. 1-3 and indicated with corresponding 2-digitreference numbers (such as pouch 12, panel etc.). The correspondencegenerally indicates, but does not required, similar properties andcharacteristics to the elements and components discussed above, exceptwhere discussed otherwise.

For example, in FIG. 4, nozzle assembly 114 captures retaining lip 176of pouch 112 by means of nozzle 150 and gasket 170 held by retainingcollar 180. However, cap 190 engages nozzle 150 in a threaded fit, bymeans of a threaded inner wall 192 of cap 190 engaging a correspondinglythreaded top end 152 of nozzle 150. Such a mechanical interfit mayprovide a measure of security against inadvertent dislodging of the capfrom the nozzle, such as due to an impact force to the cap, forcesapplied to the pouch urging contents disposed within toward the nozzle,and so forth.

In FIG. 1, cap 90 is shown to include an exterior surface 94 having asimple ribbed texture, but it is within the scope of this disclosurethat the configuration of the cap and/or exterior surface thereof may beshaped or textured to facilitate removal.

For example, FIG. 5 shows an example variant configuration as cap 290,which is shaped to have an array of flanges or ribs 202 protrudingradially from a substantially cylindrical inner portion 204. FIG. 6shows another example variant configuration as cap 390, which is shownto have a substantially spherical shape, and an exterior surface 394featuring an arrangement of nubs 306. Such variations may facilitateremoval of the cap, such as enabling a user to hold the pouch and removethe cap easily or even one-handedly or in other words with the fingersof the same hand that is holding the pouch. Optionally, such examplevariant configurations (and/or others) may make the cap more“child-friendly.” Alternatively, other cap configurations may beconfigured to be more “child-proof,” and so forth.

So configured, the example dispensing pouch assemblies discussed abovemay be used in a fairly straightforward manner, for storage anddispensing of flowable contents. To fill the pouch 12, the nozzleassembly 14 is removed as discussed above with reference to FIG. 3, andthe flowable contents are placed in the pouch 12, such as by spooning,scooping, pouring, etc., generally with the pouch in an uprightposition. The comparatively wide mouth of the pouch may facilitate thisprocess, and the flexibility of the material(s) from which the pouch isfabricated may distend to accommodate the volume. To attach the nozzleassembly 14, the process described above with respect to its removal isreversed; that is, the circular opening 36 may be distended in order toinsert the nozzle 50 so that the radial flange 58 is partially capturedby the retaining lip 34.

In some embodiments, the configuration of the nozzle assembly 14 mayallow the radial flange 58 to be inserted while the nozzle assembly 12is loosely assembled (for example, with the gasket 70 encircling thenozzle 50 and the retaining collar 80 only partially threaded on to thenozzle 50), in which case after insertion the retaining collar 80 may bethreaded downward toward the gasket 70 to tighten the gasket and radialflange against the sealing faces of the retaining lip 34. However, auser may find it easier to disassemble the nozzle assembly 14 be oreinserting the radial flange 58, then reassemble the nozzle assembly oncethe radial flange is inserted, for the same result.

Once the nozzle assembly is attached, the radial flange and gasketengage the sealing faces of the retaining lip in a fluid-tight fit,restricting exit of flowable contents to the interior port 56 of thenozzle 50. The flowable contents may be dispensed through the nozzle bysqueezing or otherwise applying pressure to the exterior of the pouch12, or exit may be prevented by attaching cap 90.

After use, the pouch 12 may be emptied and/or cleaned of residualcontents by re noving the nozzle assembly as described above, andrinsing and/or washing the interior of the pouch. Again, thecomparatively wide mouth of the pouch may facilitate this process, suchas by allowing a cleaning brush into the interior volume, and so forth.in some configurations, the pouch may be sufficiently flexible andresilient, and properly dimensioned, to be able to be turned inside-out,exposing the interior surface thereof, such as for easier hand-washingor even cleaning in a dishwasher. One or more components of the nozzleassembly 14 may also be washed, however, the aforementionedconfiguration prevents the gasket and retaining collar to come intocontact with the contents of the pouch while in use.

Although not required to all embodiments, FIG. 1 shows a straw 98 havingan exterior diameter dimensioned to sit within the interior port 56 ofthe nozzle 50 in a friction fit, and a length sized to extend downwardinto the interior volume 26 toward the bottom edge 22 of the pouch. Sopositioned, the straw 98 may facilitate dispensing of flowable contentswithin the interior volume regardless of the physical orientation of thepouch 12. The straw 98 is of simple construction, fabricated from asuitable material such as any of a variety of plastics, and may beprovided in a commercial embodiment as an optional component that theuser may decide whether or not to utilize, when using the dispensingpouch assembly 10.

As rioted above, the construction and configuration of pouch 12 is notparticularly limited. As shown, pouch 12 is formed in one piece, from aflexible material such as silicone, but it is within the scope of thisdisclosure that the pouch may be of composite construction and/orfabricated from other materials. Also, the dimensions, relativedimensional ratios, angles, and other physical characteristics of thepouch may vary from as shown. Pouch 12 is shown to be of a “wide-mouth”configuration, such as to facilitate emptying, cleaning, refilling, andso forth, and may thus include a circular opening 36 dimensioned toreceive, for example, a standard soup spoon. Thus, “wide-mouth” mayindicate that the circular opening is dimensioned to accommodate suchobjects. In terms of actual measurernents, the circular opening may havea diameter in the range of 1-3 inches. In prototype embodiments, acircular opening approximately 2 inches in diameter is used.

However, other dimensions or dimensional ranges are possible.“Wide-mouth” may also indicate that the size of the circular opening iscomparatively much larger than that of the interior port 56 of thenozzle 50. For example, the diameter of the interior port in prototypeembodiments is approximately ¼″ to ⅜″ inches, resulting in a diameterratio of the nozzle to that of the circular opening of about 1:5.5 to1:8. However, this ratio may range from 1:4 to 1:10 in other embodimentsconsistent with this disclosure, or other ranges may be used, withoutdeparting from the scope of the disclosure.

Although the aforementioned discussion and drawings show variousconfigurations of a dispensing pouch assembly that includes a pouch 12and a nozzle 14 configured to be removably engaged with the opening ofthe pouch, in some embodiments, only a nozzle assembly 14 may beprovided for use with a container having a circular opening defined by aperipheral wall and an inwardly-protruding lip disposed thereon. Forexample, such a nozzle assembly 14 may be sold as a replacement nozzleassembly for a dispensing pouch assembly. Optionally, such a nozzleassembly may be provided as a retrofit for another size or style ofcontainer, such as a bottle, a jar, another pouch, and so forth, oressentially any tape of container with the above-described manner ofcircular opening. The nozzle assembly in such embodiments may beconfigured as shown in FIGS. 1-4; that is, having a nozzle 50, a gasket70, and a retaining collar 80, with the components dimensioned toprovide a fluid-tight seal with the inwardly-protruding lip of thecontainer, thereby permitting exit of contents in the container volumeonly through the port of the nozzle 50.

Although the present invention has been shown and described withreference to the foregoing operational principles acid illustratedexamples and embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes in form and detail may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. The presentinvention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modificationsand variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A dispensing pouch assembly, comprising: a flexible and distensiblepouch having a pair of opposed panels connected at the respective bottomand opposing side edges thereof to define an interior volume, with thetop edges of the panels forming a circular opening into the interiorvolume and opposing shoulders disposed to either side of the circularopening and extending to the side edges of the panels, with the circularopening defined by a peripheral wall and an inwardly-protrudingretaining lip disposed at the top end thereof, the retaining lip havinga first sealing face on the bottom surface thereof and a second sealingface on the top surface thereof; a nozzle assembly including: a nozzlehaving a top end, a bottom end, and an interior port formedtherethrough, the bottom end having a radial flange disposed in thecircular opening with a peripheral upper edge portion of the radialflange engaged with the first sealing face in a fluid-tight fit; agasket encircling the nozzle and having an upper and a lower face, witha peripheral portion of the lower face engaged with the second sealingface in a fluid-tight fit; and a retaining collar engaged in aninterference fit with the nozzle adapted to urge the gasket and theradial flange, respectively, against the first and second sealing faces;wherein the nozzle assembly is adapted to permit exit of flowablecontents disposed in the interior volume only through the port.
 2. Thedispensing pouch assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly isselectively removable from the pouch.
 3. The dispensing pouch assemblyof claim 2, wherein the nozzle assembly is selectively removable fromthe pouch by means of distending the circular opening to release theradial flange therefrom.
 4. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 3,wherein the nozzle assembly is adapted to prevent distension of thecircular opening while the gasket and radial flange are engaged with thefirst and second sealing faces.
 5. The dispensing pouch assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the interference fit of the retaining collar with thenozzle is adapted to permit selective adjustment of the position of theretaining collar on the nozzle.
 6. The dispensing pouch assembly ofclaim 5, wherein the nozzle includes exterior threads and the retainingcollar includes corresponding interior threads, and wherein theinterference fit is accomplished by rotational engagement of therespective threads.
 7. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 5, whereinthe interference fit of the retaining collar with the nozzle is adaptedto permit selective removal of the retaining collar from the nozzle. 8.The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 1, further including a capremovably engageable with the nozzle and adapted, when engaged with thenozzle, to prevent exit of flowable contents through the port.
 9. Thedispensing pouch assembly of claim 8, wherein cap is engageable with thenozzle in a friction fit.
 10. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 8,wherein cap is engageable with the nozzle in a threaded fit.
 11. Thedispensing pouch assembly of claim 8, wherein one or more of the capconfiguration and the cap exterior surface is shaped or textured tofacilitate removal.
 12. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 1,further including a straw removably engageablewith at least the bottomportion of the port and adapted, when engaged therewith, to extendtoward the bottom edges of the interior volume of the pouch.
 13. Thedispensing pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein the pouch is formed in onepiece.
 14. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 1, wherein pouch isformed from silicone.
 15. The dispensing pouch asseMbly of claim 1,wherein the circular opening has a diameter sized to accommodate astandard soup spoon.
 16. The dispensing pouch assembly of claim 1,wherein the ratio of the diameter of port at the top end of the nozzleto the diameter of the circular opening is within a range of 1:4 to1:10.
 17. The dispensing pouch assembly of clam 16, wherein the ratio ofthe diameter of the port at the top end of the nozzle to the diameter ofthe circular opening is within a range of 1:6 to 1:8.
 18. A nozzleassembly for use with a container having a circular opening defined by aperipheral wall and an inwardly-protruding retaining lip disposedthereon, the nozzle assembly comprising: a nozzle having a top end, abottom end, and a port formed therethrough, the bottom end having aradial flange configured to he disposed within the circular opening witha peripheral upper edge portion of the radial flange engaged with abottom surface of the retaining lip; a gasket encircling the nozzle andhaving an upper and a lower face, with a peripheral portion of the lowerface configured to engage a top surface of the retaining lip; aretaining collar threadedly engaged in a rotational interference fitwith the nozzle adapted to urge the gasket and the radial flange,respectively, against the bottom and top surfaces of the retaining lip;wherein the nozzle assembly is adapted to permit exit of contentsdisposed in the container volume only through the port.
 19. The nozzleassembly of claim 18, wherein the radial flange and gasket are adaptedto engage the bottom and top surfaces of the retaining lip,respectively, in a fluid-tight fit.
 20. A dispensing pouch assembly,comprising: a flexible and distensible pouch defining an interior volumeand a circular opening into the interior volume, the circular openinghaving a first diameter and including an inwardly-protruding retaininglip having upper and lower surfaces; a nozzle defining an interior portextending from a bottom end to a top end thereof, the interior porthaving a second diameter, and the bottom end having a radial flangeextending from the port to engage the lower surface of the retaininglip; a gasket encircling the nozzle and having an upper face and a lowerface, with the lower face engaged with the top surface of the retaininglip; a retaining collar threadedly engaged in a rotational interferencefit with the exterior surface of the nozzle, the retaining collarabutting the upper face of the gasket, the rotational interference fitadapted to bias the gasket downward while biasing the radial flangeupward against the lower surface of the retaining lip; wherein the ratioof the second diameter to the first diameter is within a range of 1:6 to1:8: